


Worthy

by Esperata



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Background Vision/Wanda, Fluff, M/M, Social drinking, Team Bonding, Tipsy Thor, sleepy bruce
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-07
Updated: 2018-06-07
Packaged: 2019-05-19 11:44:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14873145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Esperata/pseuds/Esperata
Summary: Another team bonding session is culminated by Thor challenging the others' worthiness





	Worthy

**Author's Note:**

> Set after Civil War with Bruce and Thor back on Earth but ignoring Infinity War.

Tony let out a sigh of relief as he finished his soft drink. The evening had gone better than he’d expected.

Following on from the disagreement over the Accords, and nominally to welcome Bruce and Thor back from wherever they’d been the last two years, Tony had decided to hold a get together. Just a chance to relax and re-establish friendships stretched by politics and space.

It had been somewhat awkward at first, taxing his resolve to stay sober, but gradually their old comradery had resurfaced and the whole crew had managed to unwind.

Bruce had crashed out first. Not from any alcohol – Tony wasn’t even sure Hulk’s enhanced metabolism would allow Bruce to get drunk – but from sheer tiredness. He’d been practically living in the lab since his return, switching between trying to catch up on Earth news and plotting new theories based on his extra-terrestrial experiences. If he’d slept at all Tony hadn’t noticed.

Still he’d been determined to join the team in the evening and Tony hadn’t wanted to suggest sleeping instead in case he decided he wasn’t welcome and retreated to the lab again.

As it happened it didn’t matter. At some point during Thor’s retelling of their adventures, Bruce’s head had slipped onto the god’s shoulder and he’d fallen fast asleep. Thor hadn’t seemed to mind and the evening had continued with other exchanges of heroic deeds and fanciful plots, Bruce slumbering all the while.

Next out were Vision and Wanda. Tony wasn’t actually sure when they’d left but when Natasha caught him glancing round for them she’d gestured and he’d seen them huddled close out on the balcony. Next time he’d looked that way they had gone.

Natasha herself remained quiet but she held her own whenever the floor was opened to her. Tony silently thought she’d probably manage to drink any one of them under the table.

Even the super soldier. Thor had apparently made it his mission to ply Steve with enough mead to affect even his increased resistance. And it had worked. Captain America actually became a very serious drunk. Sam and Clint were in fits of giggles from him repeatedly holding up a wavering finger and declaiming something with a profound air of gravity.

“Patience… is the key… to victory.”

And Rhodey… Rhodes was watching it all with satisfied amusement. Tony was grateful that his friend had also chosen to remain sober just in case the alcohol loosened tongues and inhibitions the wrong way. Also, so he could now help Tony chivvy the kids to bed.

Tony looked back to his science bro and smiled. Bruce had at some point curled up on the couch, one arm wrapped round the cushion under his head, and covered in Thor’s cape. Tony hadn’t even noticed the god taking it off.

“I think it’s time I put Brucie Bear to bed,” he announced, pushing himself to his feet and stepping forward.

He had hoped this might give the others the hint that the party was breaking up. However what he did not expect was to have his path blocked by a hammer swung into his path.

“Nay.” Thor’s language had drifted into archaic after several tankards. “You are not worthy to lift him.”

“Not…? I’m talking about Banner, not your hammer!” Tony huffed in amusement at his unwitting rhyme and moved towards Bruce again only to be stopped once more.

“And I say thee nay! You are not worthy.”

“Wait, wait, wait.” Clint levered himself upright and focused on Thor. “Bruce can’t lift Molj… Molni… your hammer. He tried like the rest of us.”

“Ah!” Thor held up a finger triumphantly while still blocking Tony with Mjolnir in his other hand. “Mjolnir cannot lift herself. It does not mean she is not worthy.”

Confused frowns met this statement.

“What the hell does that mean?” Rhodey asked.

Thor then startled them all by standing abruptly.

“It means, my friends, I am the only one worthy among us to carry Banner to his place of rest.”

Tony stepped backwards and gestured for Thor to go ahead. It really wasn’t worth arguing with a tipsy god over so long as Bruce was going to get a proper night’s sleep.

Thor cast a challenging gaze round the rest of the group before placing Mjolnir down with exaggerated care and turning to the sleeping scientist. He knelt overly slowly before sliding his arms under Bruce and standing with an air of triumph, albeit swaying slightly. He grinned at them all before his gaze shifted to Bruce’s sleeping face and stopping.

There were various smirks from the assembled Avengers as Thor simply lost himself staring at Banner. Then Thor began to lean into him and they collectively caught their breath… Until he pressed his face into Bruce’s messy hair and inhaled noisily.

“That smells divine.”

Various amused snorts met this statement but Tony continued to watch transfixed. Thor hadn’t stopped leaning in. His head was now nearer Bruce’s neck and his body was angled uncomfortably…

It was something like watching a tree fall. Thor simply continued his trajectory down past Bruce towards the couch, taking the scientist with him. Somehow, and at this stage Tony would credit divine intervention, Thor landed upon the couch with Bruce laid out alongside him.

Tony blinked in astonishment as the god merely snuggled into the cushions and pulled Bruce closer. Banner remained asleep although he murmured something and rolled into the body next to him.

Tony stood stunned. Behind him Natasha was pushing a grumbling Hawkeye out of the room and Sam and Steve were balancing against each other as they stumbled after them. A flash and click drew Tony’s attention away from the snuggled pair and onto Rhodes who was standing alongside him. Silently his wingman handed him his phone before moving forward to drape a blanket over the sleeping duo.

Tony looked at his screen to see a photo of the two.

He glanced up to find Rhodes smiling at him.

“It’ll be useful for your best man’s speech,” he suggested.

Tony stared from him to the unlikely pair and back again before nodding slowly. Somehow he had a feeling Rhodes would be proved correct.


End file.
